From the Aylmer Soccer Club to Team Canada: Oriol Mensah Continues His Rise

Drazen Seslija

Oriol Mensah’s soccer journey continues to be a source of pride here in Aylmer. The young Gatineau-based defender, who got his start at the Aylmer Soccer Club (CS Aylmer), has just been selected for the Canadian Men’s Under-16 Team.

Soccer Canada has confirmed that the talented young defender will be part of its U16 squad, which will take part in an international camp in Chile. The Canadian team will play two friendly matches against Chile on August 20 and 23, 2026, in Santiago. The young player currently plays as a defender at the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy.

This selection marks another important milestone in the young Gatineau native’s journey. He began his development at CS Aylmer and continued his training at a higher level before joining the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy. CS Aylmer recently highlighted this progress, describing his selection to Team Canada as a source of pride for the organization and for the young players—both boys and girls—who are following the same path.

For CS Aylmer, the young player’s journey also illustrates the role that local soccer can play in developing young talent who go on to succeed on the international stage. Playing for Canada, the young defender continues to take steps forward, with his goal coming a little closer with each call-up.